The Scientific Toolbox

There are many different forensic science activities that can be found on the web. Here are just a few examples:

• Using the same method I mentioned yesterday (paper chromatography), students attempt to identify the pen that was used to write a “ransom note” left at the scene of a crime (Auburn University Science in Motion).
• This description of the ransom note chromatography “Crime Lab” activity from the University of Arizona has a nice set of teacher notes accompanying the experimental procedure.
• “Classroom capers” describes the following analyses of evidence collected from the “crime scene”: hair matching, footprint matching, handwriting analysis, ransom note chromatography, fingerprint recording and analysis and fibre analysis.
• There are even methods of lifting fingerprints from a ransom note, as described here from Queen’s University (suggested for 9^th grade and up).